"It’s bigger than me showing my body off," Wade revealed of doing the cover. "That’s not as important to me as telling a story of overcoming a fear. It hopefully gives someone confidence to really be their authentic self."

In a statement, ESPN revealed that the issue was a big leap outside the basketball star's "comfort zone," explaining that Wade was so "insecure about his body as a child that he refused to swim without his shirt on."

Also featured in the issue are: Super Bowl MVP Von Miller, as well as NFL stars Vince Wilfork and Antonio Brown; U.S. women’s national soccer team forward Christen Press, MMA star Conor McGregor, and Team USA duathlete Chris Mosier, who will be the first transgender athlete ever featured in the issue.

"As a trans person, I was in a body that didn’t really fit me for 29 years; now I feel comfortable in my own skin," Mosier revealed of what his shoot means. "That’s something that I’m proud of and wanted to share with other people."